Summary On 08 July 2002 at about 0649, while en route from Port Hardy, to Comox, British Columbia, the fishing vessel Fritzi-Ann, sailing light with 500prawn traps on deck, capsized while attempting to counter strong tidal rips in the vicinity of Kelsey Bay Harbour. All three crew members abandoned the vessel using the liferaft and were rescued soon after by the fishing vessel SerenaJoye. The vessel was righted two days later. No one was injured. Ce rapport est galement disponible en franais. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Vessel Description of the Vessel The Fritzi-Ann is a small wooden carvel-built fishing vessel of closed construction with a rounded bilge. The wheelhouse, crew accommodation and engine-room space are located forward of midships. An insulated fish hold, a small freezer compartment and the lazaret are located aft. The fish hold is divided into six sections by portable pen boards and it has a fibreglass weathertight hatch cover. Below the main deck, the hull is subdivided by three transverse watertight bulkheads into the following compartments: forward crew accommodation space, engine room, fish hold, and lazaret space. Fuel oil wing tanks are located at the port and starboard sides of both the engine room and the lazaret space. The freshwater tank is located between the fuel oil wing tanks in the lazaret space. An aluminum platform, extending approximately 1.67m aft of the extreme after end of the weather deck, is used to store prawn traps. An aluminum railing surrounds the perimeter of the extension. The wheelhouse is equipped with navigation and communications gear including two radar sets and a video plotter, two very high frequency (VHF) radios, a global positioning system (GPS), autopilot, and depth sounders. The radar sets interface with an electronic chart display system. History of the Voyage The 2002 Pacific Coast Prawn by Trap fishery season for the northern shores of British Columbia ran from May1 to July6. The Fritzi-Ann participated in the fishery throughout the season, calling into Port Hardy to off-load catches. Its crew of three fished around the Ivory Island area, off the north-central coast of British Columbia, about 100miles north of Port Hardy. On July 5, the vessel departed the fishing grounds for the home port of Comox via Port Hardy. There were 4082kg (9000lb) of prawns and octopuses in the fish hold, and 500prawn traps stowed on the after part of the weather deck. At 21303 on July6, fuel and freshwater tanks were about half full when the Fritzi-Ann arrived in Port Hardy. (See AppendixA for a sketch of the occurrence area.) On July 7, after off-loading the catch and topping up all fuel and freshwater tanks, the vessel had 1600 gallons of fuel oil and 300gallons of freshwater. It departed Port Hardy at 1500. While proceeding eastbound through Johnstone Strait, the Fritzi-Ann was reported to be rolling heavily, even though the prevailing weather and seas were calm. The vessel anchored for the night in BlenkinsopBay. On July 8, the vessel weighed anchor at 0530 and headed for Comox. The skipper was at the helm with a deckhand on watch with him. The other deckhand was asleep in the crew quarters. Proceeding in a southeasterly direction at approximately 4.5knots, the Fritzi-Ann was some 3.3cables to the northwest of Kelsey Bay Harbour when it encountered strong tidal rips, causing the vessel to sheer sharply to port. The skipper attempted to counteract the sheer by applying starboard helm, but this resulted in the vessel heeling over to starboard. Tidal rips continued to cause the vessel to sheer further to port. To counter this action, more starboard helm was applied, making the vessel heel even more to starboard. In an attempt to avoid heeling the vessel any further, the engine was throttled back to idling speed and astern propulsion was engaged, but these efforts failed to correct the heel. As a last resort, the engine was set to full ahead. At about 0649, within seconds of this last manoeuvre, the vessel quickly heeled over onto its starboard beam ends. Water soon downflooded through a porthole and other openings. The second deckhand was awakened and both deckhands prepared the liferaft for launching and made ready the immersion suits. They scrambled onto the ship's side and attempted to use a portable VHF to send a distress message. When the radiotelephone failed to work, the skipper broke the wheelhouse window, re-entered and, using VHF channel16, informed Comox Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) of their position and their situation. The skipper retrieved log books before escaping from the wheelhouse and rejoining the other crew members. All three donned their immersion suits and abandoned the vessel into the liferaft. Minutes later, the vessel capsized completely, floating in the overturned condition. (See AppendixB for photographs of the capsized Fritzi-Ann.) The crew of the fishing vessel SerenaJoye at berth in Kelsey Bay noticed the liferaft, and used its skiff to rescue the survivors. The Fritzi-Ann was towed into the harbour and righted the following day. None of the crew members were injured and there was no reported pollution to the environment. Damage to the Vessel Damage to the hull, mast and rigging was minimal. The navigation equipment and machinery sustained extensive water damage. Declared a constructive total loss for insurance purposes, the vessel was later sold, but has not been put into service. Vessel Certification The Fritzi-Ann was inspected by Transport Canada (TC) on 13December2001, and a full-term Safety Inspection Certificate (SIC29) was issued for voyages within the limits of Home Trade ClassII until 12December2005. As part of TC's Ship Registration Program, a Certificate of Registry with a covering letter is sent to the registered owner or authorized representative. The cover letter includes information indicating that modifications to the vessel must be reported to TC,4 and that the Certificate of Registry has a three-year expiry date from the day the certificate is issued. This new process began in February2000, as part of the Canada Shipping Act reform. The new certificate was not issued to the registered owner of the Fritzi-Ann. Prior to and during the introduction of the new process, the owner failed to respond to TC standard letters of request for an update of the vessel's status data and the owner's current address. Personnel Certification and History The skipper and crew of the Fritzi-Ann held no formal marine qualifications, nor were they required to. The present crewing regulations do not require skippers or crews of small fishing vessels of less than 60gross registered tons to hold any marine certificate of competency. None of the crew members had received training in marine emergency duties (MED), nor were they required to. The operator had sailed the vessel for about 12years, the last 7as skipper, since taking over from his father. All three crew members had fished together for the last 9years. Their individual experience on fishing vessels ranged from 9to22years. Weather Information Winds were from the northwest at 10 knots with an air temperature of 15C. Seas were calm, but heavy tide rips were experienced in the area of the capsizing. Tide and Current Information On 08July2002, high water for the Kelsey Bay area5 was predicted to be at 0020 with a height of 4.4m above chart datum and low water at 0745 with a height of 0.8m above chart datum. The accident occurred at approximately 0649, some 56minutes before low water. Tidal streams run strongly through Current Passage and Race Passage. They attain 5knots on the ebb and flood in Current Passage and 6knots on the ebb and flood in RacePassage. The capsizing occurred in an area to the west of both Current Passage and Race Passage, where the effects of current, although less, were still present about one hour before low water. Any current experienced would be in a 280T direction. Tide rips, dangerous to small craft, are encountered between Kelsey Bay and Port Neville.6 Vessel Stability History As a small fishing vessel of closed construction not engaged in fishing for herring or capelin, the Fritzi-Ann was not required to comply with the intact stability requirements of Section29 of PartI of the Small Fishing Vessel Inspection Regulations, nor was it required to meet the criteria included in a section of the Stability, Subdivision and Load Line Standards (TP7301) entitled Stability Standards for Fishing Vessels STAB4. A rolling period test, carried out on 17April1969, showed the newly constructed vessel as having a positive metacentric height (GM) of0.50m. In 1990, modifications were made to the vessel, including replacement of the old wooden deckhouse with an aluminum one. An aluminum platform extension to the after end of the vessel was also added for storing prawn traps. The high platform was located at bulwark level, in line with the aftermost step in the main deck. A marine consultant's calculation showing the comparative weights of the old wooden and new aluminum deckhouses was submitted to TC. These calculations indicated that the new structure had a lower centre of gravity and a reduction in total weight. A subsequent rolling period test, also carried out in 1990in the presence of a TC inspector, showed the vessel to have a GM of 0.33m. TC accepted the consultant's calculations as evidence of the Fritzi-Ann's stability characteristics at that time, provided the following instructions are observed: That no additional weights be added high on the vessel; i.e., on top of the deckhouse or on top of the aft canopy. Slack tanks should be kept to a minimum during fishing operations. Gear for fishing operations and the crew's personal gear should be stowed as low in the vessel as is possible. In1995, following the adoption by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) of the reallocated trap limits (RTL) policy, vessel owners were able to double up on the original Prawn by Trap single fishing licence by transferring licensing rights and additional traps from another vessel. Another extension of about 0.91m was added in about1999 to the existing platform extension to accommodate the increase in the number of prawn traps from 300to500, as a result of the RTL policy provision. The overall extension is now 1.67m. This modification was not reported to TC. The traps were stored in stacks of 25to a height of 1.98m above the main deck. They extended over the deck area from about 1 m aft of the fish hold hatch to the extreme after end of the extension platform. The traps averaged in weight from 2.7kg to5.2kg. After the capsized Fritzi-Ann was recovered and prepared in a suitable condition, TSB investigators conducted rolling period tests on the vessel to determine the GM. The tests showed that, in the light condition with oil, fuel and freshwater tanks full, and with no traps on board, the average transverse GM was 0.31m. In the same light condition with an additional equivalent weight of the 500traps on deck, as carried on board at the time of capsizing, the GM was found to be0.23m. The rolling period test is a method of approximating a ship's initial metacentric height and may be used for vessels up to 24m in registered length, if it is not practical to carry out an inclining experiment. When it is not acceptable as a basis for determining a ship's stability characteristics, an inclining experiment is required by regulation. Chronological Sequence of Events in the Prawn and Shrimp Trap Fishery In 1990, as a Fishery Management Conservation measure, vessel length and licence limitations were introduced. There were no limitations or restrictions on procuring a licence to fish for Prawn and Shrimp by Trap until then. The number of licences issued was set to a reduced number of vessels. Also, DFO decided to bind the length of vessel to each particular licence issued, with the proviso that the transfer of licences is only permitted if the replacement vessel does not exceed the overall length of the vessel being replaced. Until1995, there were no trap limits in the fishery and some vessels fished in excess of 1000traps each. Many of these traps were transported to the fishing grounds by other vessels. In1994, there were in excess of 100000traps in use. The Prawn Sectoral Committee, concerned with the large number of traps in use and the resulting gear conflict on the grounds, requested DFO to establish limits on how many traps could be fished. DFO consulted with industry in1994 and set trap limits in 1995at 300for a single licence and 450for vessels with RTL. The trap limit for vessels with RTL licences was increased from 450to 500for a portion of the coast in 2000and for the entire coast for season2001. About 250prawn fishing licences have been issued on the West Coast, and of these, about 35are vessels withRTL. Before trap limits were adopted in1995, operators set their traps and tended them only once a day to haul in their catch. Once trap limits were adopted, vessels began hauling in their reduced number of traps two to three times a day. To mitigate this practice, another DFO management measure was introduced in2000 as a pilot project in southern coastal waters and extended to the entire coast in2001. This involved limiting commercial trap hauling to once per day from 0700to1900. Evolution of Size and Weight Limitations for Prawn Traps Photo2. Modern prawn trap (170 litres) Concerned about conservation and sustainability in the prawn industry stemming from inappropriate use of the older bucket-type prawn traps, DFO set the upper limits for traps by volume and mesh size in1995. The specifications were set at 170litre volume and 38.1mm mesh size, but no consideration was given to the weight of the traps. When licence holders acted to make their traps more robust and keep their volumetric shape and size, the weight of traps increased from 2kg to 5kg.